That is the type of night time within the NBA that I personally love. Three of the six video games on Tuesday’s slate promised playoff-esque atmospheres, if not playoff-esque outcomes. The three others? Not a lot to jot down dwelling about from a matchup perspective, however who doesn’t love some lower-tier League Move motion on the early aspect?

To the scores we go.

Thunder lock up Clippers, eke out tight win, 101-100

And we start with Tuesday’s finest recreation, a thriller that noticed the lead change palms 11 instances and ended with an exceptional defensive stand from the victors. After Nicolas Batum nailed a jumper to convey the Clippers inside one, OKC’s Isaiah Joe missed a 3 because the shot clock expired, giving L.A. a shot to win it. However Luguentz Dort was as much as the duty.

Kawhi Leonard would end with 21 factors, one bucket shy of sufficient for the Clippers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the best way for OKC with 31 factors, and Jalen Williams added 20 factors for the West’s present seventh seed. They’ve received eight of their final 10; not dangerous for a late-season surge.

However the greatest story to come back out of this recreation can also be probably the most unlucky. Paul George went down onerous within the fourth quarter after rising for a contested rebound; he remained on his again for a couple of minutes earlier than being helped to his ft and off the courtroom for the rest of the sport.

After the sport, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue stated George was being evaluated and that there was no rapid replace on his standing.

Cavs blow huge lead, nonetheless outlast Nets, 115-109

Even if the Nets got here again and tried to make issues attention-grabbing late, I’m fairly sure that the sport was over after this:

The Cavs led by as many as 24 on their option to a seventh win out of 10 tries throughout this significant end-of-season stretch, as they purpose to remain away from the New York Knicks for fourth place within the Japanese Convention standings. Although Brooklyn fueled a late comeback, Donovan Mitchell’s 31 factors, aided by 17 apiece from Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, pushed Cleveland to victory with relative ease. Jarrett Allen added 12 factors and 14 rebounds for the Cavs, whereas Day’Ron Sharpe was the Nets’ prime contributor in defeat, ending with 20 factors and 11 rebounds.

Wizards proceed to battle as Magic eke out 122-112 win in Orlando

Usually, you may depend on three issues on this world: Dying, taxes, and the hardly .500 Washington Wizards sneaking their means into the playoffs by season’s finish. But when their current patterns are any indication, Wes Unseld Jr.’s squad received’t be anyplace close to the postseason. They entered Tuesday’s tilt with the Magic losers of 5 of their final six video games and exited it with a horrendous fourth-quarter efficiency and a sixth loss out of seven. The Wizards misplaced the ultimate body by 11 after getting into it with a 88-87 lead. Kristaps Porzingis was electrical, scoring 30 factors on 12-of-22 taking pictures, however the 250-million-dollar man, Bradley Beal, was a paltry four-for-15, solely totaling 16 factors within the loss due to his eight free throws.

To make issues worse? This loss pushed Washington two video games again from the ultimate play-in spot, have been the season to finish right now. Orlando’s season is all however over, however there’s nothing flawed with enjoying spoiler. Gary Harris led the Magic with 22 factors, taking pictures 70 p.c from the sector. Franz Wagner (20), Paolo Banchero (18), Markelle Fultz (17), Cole Anthony (16), Moritz Wagner (15), and Wendell Cart Jr. (14) all completed in double-figures.

Hawks soar previous Pistons, 129-107

The Pistons by no means led by greater than three. They misplaced each quarter, and have been throttled by 14 factors within the third. They usually have been swept by the Hawks within the common season for the primary time for the reason that 1993-94 season.

I suppose that Marvin Bagley III scoring a season-high 31 factors might function a worthy comfort prize on this drubbing. However on condition that it’s Detroit’s fourth straight loss and their fifteenth loss out of 16 video games in a pathetic season, consolations aren’t precisely all that encouraging. Trae Younger had 30 factors and 12 assists for the Hawks, who at the moment discover themselves slotted eighth within the Japanese Convention, whereas the newly prolonged Bogdan Bogdanovic added 18 to place a optimistic spin on a 1-3 stretch for Atlanta.

Pelicans pummel Spurs, 119-84

The final time the San Antonio Spurs took the ground, they erased a 24-point deficit en path to a 126-118 win over the Atlanta Hawks. On Tuesday, they misplaced by 35 and solely ever led by as many as two factors.

As a lot because the up-and-often-down nature of this Spurs’ season has been a laughing matter, this recreation really meant one thing to the Pelicans, who nonetheless someway have a puncher’s likelihood to work their means into the play-in match. As a matter of reality, making the playoffs isn’t totally out of the query at this level. New Orleans is at the moment simply half a recreation again from tenth within the West, a single recreation again from seventh, and a recreation and a half from sixth — which might see them absolutely clear the play-in totally. They’ll want Brandon Ingram to proceed his stellar play to take action; he scored 32 on this one, and is averaging 27.8 per recreation over his final 4.

Celtics trounce Kings, 132-109

That’s extra prefer it. In determined want of a convincing win, everybody confirmed up for the Celtics — after which some — in a convincing victory over the Kings, hardly a slouch of an opponent to crush. Jayson Tatum went off for 36 factors on 14-for-25 taking pictures to guide all scorers; Jaylen Brown added 27 factors and Derrick White scored 20 to assist Boston win their fourth of six video games.

Regardless of Domantas Sabonis recording one more triple-double — 16 factors, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists — Boston held De’Aaron Fox to simply 18 factors on the night time and served Sacramento a second-straight loss, their first shedding streak of any type since early February. As a crew, the Celtics shot 53.3% from the sector and turned the ball over solely 5 instances. How’s that for convincing?